Lacrosse Cruises Past Newbury Wednesday, 16-2

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Senior Vicky Thai (West Hartford, Conn.) and junior Hannah Lemek (Bristol, Conn.) scored four goals each as the University of Saint Joseph lacrosse team downed the Newbury College Nighthawks, 16-2, in non-conference action on Arute Field at Central Connecticut State University on Wednesday evening. The victory improves the Blue Jays record to 2-1 on the season, while Newbury slips to 0-6 with the loss.

USJ scored the first five goals of the game to leap out to a 5-0 advantage and would never look back. Junior Febe Verkerk (Cuijk, Netherlands) got things started for the Blue and Gold netting her first goal of the season just over two minutes into the game off an assist from freshman Mary Joerg (Canton, Conn.). Thai would close the opening 5-0 run with her first goal of the game with 15:59 to play in the opening half.

Newbury attempted to answer and scored the ensuing two goals, both coming from sophomore Isabelle Pafford (Greenland, N.H.) to cut the USJ lead to 5-2. However, the Blue Jays closed the half with six unanswered goals to end the threat and take an 11-2 advantage into the locker rooms.

The run consisted of four consecutive goals by the Blue Jays in a span of 1:02, with a pair coming from Lemek with under two minutes to play in the first half.

It was all USJ in the second half as well as they shutout the Nighthawks in the second stanza, 5-0, to account for the 16-2 final margin. Joerg added a pair of second half goals to finish the night with two goals and two assists, while sophomore Diamond Wallen (Hartford, Conn.) capped the scoring with her third goal of the season with just under five minutes left in regulation.

The Blue Jays outshot the Nighthawks 43-14 in the game and held a 12-8 advantage in draw controls. Lemek posted 11 draw controls for USJ and Pafford finished with six for Newbury.

Junior net minder Emily Bourassa (Bristol, Conn.) was spectacular between the pipes for the Blue Jays to pick up her second win of the season. She faced 14 shots and finished the night with 11 saves. Freshman Keely Molloy (Staten Island, N.Y.) made an impressive 23 saves for the Nighthawks.

The Blue Jays picked up 25 ground balls as a team led by Verkerk who secured a team-high six. Newbury finished with 17 ground balls led by freshman Anastasia Meleo (Plymouth, Mass.) who had seven.

The University of Saint Joseph lacrosse team will return to action next when they head to St. Joe's Maine on Saturday for a 1 p.m. Great Northeast Athletic Conference showdown.